HeyWhatsNew: EU Antitrust Laws Take Effect In March and Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Was a Success
Hey there, Heyuppers. Welcome to HeyWhatsNew, your weekly roundup of tech developments that are shaping our world in the week beginning 15/01/2024.
Google Maps Has a New Bluetooth Feature
While it may have been an integral part of Waze for quite some time before this week, Google has announced that they’re extending the Bluetooth Beacon feature to Google Maps to help drivers navigate tunnels more efficiently. For many years, drivers using Google’s GPS to find their way around parts of Paris, New York, and many major cities would have to navigate blindly through tunnels because GPS signals are lost underground. Google hopes that this new feature will help them get around more easily.
The Google Maps Bluetooth Beacon Feature was announced in October last year and has gone under the radar for many users because it’s switched off by default. To enable it, Android users can turn it on in the Navigation Settings in Google Maps Settings. Google has not announced extending the feature to iOS.
Apple Hopes to Make a Phone That Functions Underwater
Apple has been designing smartphones and watches that can withstand a significantly deep plunge for quite some time now. And while this feature is useful in unfortunate circumstances, iPhones aren’t functional underwater. A new patent submitted by the company reveals that this could change soon.
According to an article published in the Tech Times, Apple plans to have the device automatically simplify the user interface when the liquid medium is detected. This will allow them to navigate the interface easier to do things like take pictures or play videos underwater. Leaked specs for the upcoming iPhone 16 make no mention of the improved waterproof feature, but only time will tell.
What Went Down at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event
Samsung’s annual winter Galaxy Unpacked Event is the highlight of the Samsung calendar and a chance for the company to showcase its latest product offerings. This year marked the release of the long-awaited Galaxy S24 series which features built-in AI capabilities thanks to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
In an unexpected turn of events, the Samsung team also unveiled its new wearable device which is a smart ring known as the Galaxy Ring. Information about the pricing and release date for the ring is yet to be announced, however, Samsung did share that the Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra would be priced at $800 and $1000 respectively.
The EU Antitrust Laws Will Affect Google Search, Chrome, and Android
Since the European Union’s (EU) Antitrust laws are set to take effect in March, Google is testing out all the changes that will be implemented on Google Search, Chrome, and Android. This follows the strict set of rules laid out for Google by the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which has categorized the company as a “gatekeeper”.
Chrome and Android users will be given the option to choose their search engine of choice when they set up their devices. Users will also have the option to restrict content from different Google services like YouTube. These changes will be applied to every device purchased in the EU from March 2024.
Instagram Has Released Some More New Filters
Although the company gave its users a bunch of new filters in November, Instagram has announced a few new filters on their @Creators channel where creatives have the option to create their filters.
According to The Verge, the 25 new filters released in November were long overdue, and they report that the release of new filters could signal big changes for the Meta-affiliated Instagram.
Microsoft Copilot Has Made a Bitcoin December 2024 Prediction
Microsoft’s Copilot has been tested by the finance geeks at Finbond who sought to find out how much insight the chatbot has on Cryptocurrency. This follows the recent surge in the Bitcoin price which has nearly tripled since the beginning of the year, so it’s interesting to wonder what that price may look like at the end of 2024.
Following the prompt to speculate on the expectations of December 2024 based on current data, Copilot suggests that while it’s impossible to give an exact estimate, the price of Bitcoin may reach a roundup estimate of $ 60,000 to $ 63,000 by the end of the year.
Elon Musk Wants a Bigger Chunk of Tesla
The SpaceX billionaire and Twitter head Elon Musk, who currently holds 13% of Tesla shares, says he’ll only invest in Tesla’s AI ventures if he can get at least 25% of control. Musk, who sold approximately $40 billion worth of his shares to acquire Twitter, says he’d prefer to take his AI ventures elsewhere if it doesn't come to pass.
Tesla is facing a hard time after reportedly losing $94 billion of its market value, and the Wall Street Journal is calling for the company’s CEO to respond to his drug use allegations.
That’s it for this week’s edition of HeyWhatsNew. Join us again next time to get insight into the tech industry and how it’s shaping our world.
